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Friday, May 2nd, 2025
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the Second Week after Easter
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Read the Bible
THE MESSAGE
Proverbs 21:16
Whoever wanders off the straight and narrow ends up in a congregation of ghosts.
Jump to:Bible Study Tools • Parallel Bible Verse • Bible Contextual Overview • Bible Cross-References • Gill's Bible Notes • Clarke's Bible Notes • Barnes' Bible Notes
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
- AmericanEncyclopedias:
- InternationalParallel Translations
Christian Standard Bible®
The person who strays from the way of prudencewill come to rest in the assembly of the departed spirits.
The person who strays from the way of prudencewill come to rest in the assembly of the departed spirits.
Hebrew Names Version
The man who wanders out of the way of understanding Shall rest in the assembly of the dead.
The man who wanders out of the way of understanding Shall rest in the assembly of the dead.
King James Version
The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.
The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.
English Standard Version
One who wanders from the way of good sense will rest in the assembly of the dead.
One who wanders from the way of good sense will rest in the assembly of the dead.
New American Standard Bible
A person who wanders from the way of understanding Will rest in the assembly of the dead.
A person who wanders from the way of understanding Will rest in the assembly of the dead.
New Century Version
Whoever does not use good sense will end up among the dead.
Whoever does not use good sense will end up among the dead.
Amplified Bible
A man who wanders from the way of understanding (godly wisdom) Will remain in the assembly of the dead.
A man who wanders from the way of understanding (godly wisdom) Will remain in the assembly of the dead.
World English Bible
The man who wanders out of the way of understanding Shall rest in the assembly of the dead.
The man who wanders out of the way of understanding Shall rest in the assembly of the dead.
Geneva Bible (1587)
A man that wandreth out of the way of wisdome, shall remaine in the congregation of the dead.
A man that wandreth out of the way of wisdome, shall remaine in the congregation of the dead.
Legacy Standard Bible
A man who wanders from the way of insightWill rest in the assembly of the dead.
A man who wanders from the way of insightWill rest in the assembly of the dead.
Berean Standard Bible
The man who strays from the path of understanding will rest in the assembly of the dead.
The man who strays from the path of understanding will rest in the assembly of the dead.
Contemporary English Version
If you stop using good sense, you will find yourself in the grave.
If you stop using good sense, you will find yourself in the grave.
Complete Jewish Bible
The person who strays from the way of common sense will come to rest in the company of the dead.
The person who strays from the way of common sense will come to rest in the company of the dead.
Darby Translation
The man that wandereth out of the way of wisdom shall abide in the congregation of the dead.
The man that wandereth out of the way of wisdom shall abide in the congregation of the dead.
Easy-to-Read Version
Whoever leaves the path of wisdom will be on their way to an early death.
Whoever leaves the path of wisdom will be on their way to an early death.
George Lamsa Translation
The man who wanders from the way of understanding shall lie in the congregation of the dead.
The man who wanders from the way of understanding shall lie in the congregation of the dead.
Good News Translation
Death is waiting for anyone who wanders away from good sense.
Death is waiting for anyone who wanders away from good sense.
Lexham English Bible
Whoever wanders from the way of understanding, in the assembly of the dead he will rest.
Whoever wanders from the way of understanding, in the assembly of the dead he will rest.
Literal Translation
The man who wanders out of the way of prudence shall rest in the congregation of departed spirits.
The man who wanders out of the way of prudence shall rest in the congregation of departed spirits.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The man that wandreth out of the waye of wy?dome, shal remayne in the cogregacion of ye deed.
The man that wandreth out of the waye of wy?dome, shal remayne in the cogregacion of ye deed.
American Standard Version
The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding Shall rest in the assembly of the dead.
The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding Shall rest in the assembly of the dead.
Bible in Basic English
The wanderer from the way of knowledge will have his resting-place among the shades.
The wanderer from the way of knowledge will have his resting-place among the shades.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
The man that strayeth out of the way of understanding shall rest in the congregation of the shades.
The man that strayeth out of the way of understanding shall rest in the congregation of the shades.
King James Version (1611)
The man that wandreth out of the way of vnderstanding, shall remaine in the congregation of the dead.
The man that wandreth out of the way of vnderstanding, shall remaine in the congregation of the dead.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
The man that wandereth out of the way of wysdome, shall remaine in the congregation of the dead.
The man that wandereth out of the way of wysdome, shall remaine in the congregation of the dead.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
A man that wanders out of the way of righteousness, shall rest in the congregation of giants.
A man that wanders out of the way of righteousness, shall rest in the congregation of giants.
English Revised Version
The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall rest in the congregation of the dead.
The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall rest in the congregation of the dead.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
A man that errith fro the weie of doctryn, schal dwelle in the cumpany of giauntis.
A man that errith fro the weie of doctryn, schal dwelle in the cumpany of giauntis.
Update Bible Version
[The] man that wanders out of the way of understanding Shall rest in the assembly of the dead.
[The] man that wanders out of the way of understanding Shall rest in the assembly of the dead.
Webster's Bible Translation
The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.
The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.
New English Translation
The one who wanders from the way of wisdom will end up in the company of the departed.
The one who wanders from the way of wisdom will end up in the company of the departed.
New King James Version
A man who wanders from the way of understanding Will rest in the assembly of the dead.
A man who wanders from the way of understanding Will rest in the assembly of the dead.
New Living Translation
The person who strays from common sense will end up in the company of the dead.
The person who strays from common sense will end up in the company of the dead.
New Life Bible
A man who goes away from the way of understanding will rest in the gathering of the dead.
A man who goes away from the way of understanding will rest in the gathering of the dead.
New Revised Standard
Whoever wanders from the way of understanding will rest in the assembly of the dead.
Whoever wanders from the way of understanding will rest in the assembly of the dead.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
The man who wandereth from the way of discretion, in the gathered host of the shades, shall settle down.
The man who wandereth from the way of discretion, in the gathered host of the shades, shall settle down.
Douay-Rheims Bible
A man that shall wander out of the way of doctrine, shall abide in the company of the giants.
A man that shall wander out of the way of doctrine, shall abide in the company of the giants.
Revised Standard Version
A man who wanders from the way of understanding will rest in the assembly of the dead.
A man who wanders from the way of understanding will rest in the assembly of the dead.
Young's Literal Translation
A man who is wandering from the way of understanding, In an assembly of Rephaim resteth.
A man who is wandering from the way of understanding, In an assembly of Rephaim resteth.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
A man who wanders from the way of understanding Will rest in the assembly of the dead.
A man who wanders from the way of understanding Will rest in the assembly of the dead.
Contextual Overview
16 Whoever wanders off the straight and narrow ends up in a congregation of ghosts.
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
wandereth: Proverbs 13:20, Psalms 125:5, Zephaniah 1:6, John 3:19, John 3:20, Hebrews 6:4-6, Hebrews 10:26, Hebrews 10:27, Hebrews 10:38, 2 Peter 2:21, 2 Peter 2:22, 1 John 2:19
remain: Proverbs 2:18, Proverbs 2:19, Proverbs 7:26, Proverbs 7:27, Proverbs 9:18, Ephesians 2:1, Jude 1:12
Reciprocal: Genesis 3:19 - and Psalms 119:10 - O let me Proverbs 2:13 - leave Proverbs 27:8 - man Ezekiel 18:24 - in his 1 John 3:14 - that loveth
Cross-References
Genesis 27:38
"But don't you have just one blessing for me, Father? Oh, bless me my father! Bless me!" Esau sobbed inconsolably.
"But don't you have just one blessing for me, Father? Oh, bless me my father! Bless me!" Esau sobbed inconsolably.
Judges 2:4
When God 's angel had spoken these words to all the People of Israel, they cried out—oh! how they wept! They named the place Bokim (Weepers). And there they sacrificed to God .
When God 's angel had spoken these words to all the People of Israel, they cried out—oh! how they wept! They named the place Bokim (Weepers). And there they sacrificed to God .
1 Samuel 24:16
When David had finished saying all this, Saul said, "Can this be the voice of my son David?" and he wept in loud sobs. "You're the one in the right, not me," he continued. "You've heaped good on me; I've dumped evil on you. And now you've done it again—treated me generously. God put me in your hands and you didn't kill me. Why? When a man meets his enemy, does he send him down the road with a blessing? May God give you a bonus of blessings for what you've done for me today! I know now beyond doubt that you will rule as king. The kingdom of Israel is already in your grasp! Now promise me under God that you will not kill off my family or wipe my name off the books."
When David had finished saying all this, Saul said, "Can this be the voice of my son David?" and he wept in loud sobs. "You're the one in the right, not me," he continued. "You've heaped good on me; I've dumped evil on you. And now you've done it again—treated me generously. God put me in your hands and you didn't kill me. Why? When a man meets his enemy, does he send him down the road with a blessing? May God give you a bonus of blessings for what you've done for me today! I know now beyond doubt that you will rule as king. The kingdom of Israel is already in your grasp! Now promise me under God that you will not kill off my family or wipe my name off the books."
1 Samuel 30:4
David and his men burst out in loud wails—wept and wept until they were exhausted with weeping. David's two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail widow of Nabal of Carmel, had been taken prisoner along with the rest. And suddenly David was in even worse trouble. There was talk among the men, bitter over the loss of their families, of stoning him. David strengthened himself with trust in his God . He ordered Abiathar the priest, son of Ahimelech, "Bring me the Ephod so I can consult God." Abiathar brought it to David. Then David prayed to God , "Shall I go after these raiders? Can I catch them?" The answer came, "Go after them! Yes, you'll catch them! Yes, you'll make the rescue!" David went, he and the six hundred men with him. They arrived at the Brook Besor, where some of them dropped out. David and four hundred men kept up the pursuit, but two hundred of them were too fatigued to cross the Brook Besor, and stayed there. Some who went on came across an Egyptian in a field and took him to David. They gave him bread and he ate. And he drank some water. They gave him a piece of fig cake and a couple of raisin muffins. Life began to revive in him. He hadn't eaten or drunk a thing for three days and nights! David said to him, "Who do you belong to? Where are you from?" "I'm an Egyptian slave of an Amalekite," he said. "My master walked off and left me when I got sick—that was three days ago. We had raided the Negev of the Kerethites, of Judah, and of Caleb. Ziklag we burned." David asked him, "Can you take us to the raiders?" "Promise me by God," he said, "that you won't kill me or turn me over to my old master, and I'll take you straight to the raiders." He led David to them. They were scattered all over the place, eating and drinking, gorging themselves on all the loot they had plundered from Philistia and Judah. David pounced. He fought them from before sunrise until evening of the next day. None got away except for four hundred of the younger men who escaped by riding off on camels. David rescued everything the Amalekites had taken. And he rescued his two wives! Nothing and no one was missing—young or old, son or daughter, plunder or whatever. David recovered the whole lot. He herded the sheep and cattle before them, and they all shouted, "David's plunder!" Then David came to the two hundred who had been too tired to continue with him and had dropped out at the Brook Besor. They came out to welcome David and his band. As he came near he called out, "Success!" But all the mean-spirited men who had marched with David, the rabble element, objected: "They didn't help in the rescue, they don't get any of the plunder we recovered. Each man can have his wife and children, but that's it. Take them and go!" "Families don't do this sort of thing! Oh no, my brothers!" said David as he broke up the argument. "You can't act this way with what God gave us! God kept us safe. He handed over the raiders who attacked us. Who would ever listen to this kind of talk? The share of the one who stays with the gear is the share of the one who fights—equal shares. Share and share alike!" From that day on, David made that the rule in Israel—and it still is. On returning to Ziklag, David sent portions of the plunder to the elders of Judah, his neighbors, with a note saying, "A gift from the plunder of God 's enemies!" He sent them to the elders in Bethel, Ramoth Negev, Jattir, Aroer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa, Racal, Jerahmeelite cities, Kenite cities, Hormah, Bor Ashan, Athach, and Hebron, along with a number of other places David and his men went to from time to time.
David and his men burst out in loud wails—wept and wept until they were exhausted with weeping. David's two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail widow of Nabal of Carmel, had been taken prisoner along with the rest. And suddenly David was in even worse trouble. There was talk among the men, bitter over the loss of their families, of stoning him. David strengthened himself with trust in his God . He ordered Abiathar the priest, son of Ahimelech, "Bring me the Ephod so I can consult God." Abiathar brought it to David. Then David prayed to God , "Shall I go after these raiders? Can I catch them?" The answer came, "Go after them! Yes, you'll catch them! Yes, you'll make the rescue!" David went, he and the six hundred men with him. They arrived at the Brook Besor, where some of them dropped out. David and four hundred men kept up the pursuit, but two hundred of them were too fatigued to cross the Brook Besor, and stayed there. Some who went on came across an Egyptian in a field and took him to David. They gave him bread and he ate. And he drank some water. They gave him a piece of fig cake and a couple of raisin muffins. Life began to revive in him. He hadn't eaten or drunk a thing for three days and nights! David said to him, "Who do you belong to? Where are you from?" "I'm an Egyptian slave of an Amalekite," he said. "My master walked off and left me when I got sick—that was three days ago. We had raided the Negev of the Kerethites, of Judah, and of Caleb. Ziklag we burned." David asked him, "Can you take us to the raiders?" "Promise me by God," he said, "that you won't kill me or turn me over to my old master, and I'll take you straight to the raiders." He led David to them. They were scattered all over the place, eating and drinking, gorging themselves on all the loot they had plundered from Philistia and Judah. David pounced. He fought them from before sunrise until evening of the next day. None got away except for four hundred of the younger men who escaped by riding off on camels. David rescued everything the Amalekites had taken. And he rescued his two wives! Nothing and no one was missing—young or old, son or daughter, plunder or whatever. David recovered the whole lot. He herded the sheep and cattle before them, and they all shouted, "David's plunder!" Then David came to the two hundred who had been too tired to continue with him and had dropped out at the Brook Besor. They came out to welcome David and his band. As he came near he called out, "Success!" But all the mean-spirited men who had marched with David, the rabble element, objected: "They didn't help in the rescue, they don't get any of the plunder we recovered. Each man can have his wife and children, but that's it. Take them and go!" "Families don't do this sort of thing! Oh no, my brothers!" said David as he broke up the argument. "You can't act this way with what God gave us! God kept us safe. He handed over the raiders who attacked us. Who would ever listen to this kind of talk? The share of the one who stays with the gear is the share of the one who fights—equal shares. Share and share alike!" From that day on, David made that the rule in Israel—and it still is. On returning to Ziklag, David sent portions of the plunder to the elders of Judah, his neighbors, with a note saying, "A gift from the plunder of God 's enemies!" He sent them to the elders in Bethel, Ramoth Negev, Jattir, Aroer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa, Racal, Jerahmeelite cities, Kenite cities, Hormah, Bor Ashan, Athach, and Hebron, along with a number of other places David and his men went to from time to time.
1 Kings 3:26
The real mother of the living baby was overcome with emotion for her son and said, "Oh no, master! Give her the whole baby alive; don't kill him!" But the other one said, "If I can't have him, you can't have him—cut away!"
The real mother of the living baby was overcome with emotion for her son and said, "Oh no, master! Give her the whole baby alive; don't kill him!" But the other one said, "If I can't have him, you can't have him—cut away!"
Isaiah 49:15
"Can a mother forget the infant at her breast, walk away from the baby she bore? But even if mothers forget, I'd never forget you—never. Look, I've written your names on the backs of my hands. The walls you're rebuilding are never out of my sight. Your builders are faster than your wreckers. The demolition crews are gone for good. Look up, look around, look well! See them all gathering, coming to you? As sure as I am the living God"— God 's Decree— "you're going to put them on like so much jewelry, you're going to use them to dress up like a bride.
"Can a mother forget the infant at her breast, walk away from the baby she bore? But even if mothers forget, I'd never forget you—never. Look, I've written your names on the backs of my hands. The walls you're rebuilding are never out of my sight. Your builders are faster than your wreckers. The demolition crews are gone for good. Look up, look around, look well! See them all gathering, coming to you? As sure as I am the living God"— God 's Decree— "you're going to put them on like so much jewelry, you're going to use them to dress up like a bride.
Zechariah 12:10
"Next I'll deal with the family of David and those who live in Jerusalem. I'll pour a spirit of grace and prayer over them. They'll then be able to recognize me as the One they so grievously wounded—that piercing spear-thrust! And they'll weep—oh, how they'll weep! Deep mourning as of a parent grieving the loss of the firstborn child. The lamentation in Jerusalem that day will be massive, as famous as the lamentation over Hadad-Rimmon on the fields of Megiddo: Everyone will weep and grieve, the land and everyone in it: The family of David off by itself and their women off by themselves; The family of Nathan off by itself and their women off by themselves; The family of Levi off by itself and their women off by themselves; The family of Shimei off by itself and their women off by themselves; And all the rest of the families off by themselves and their women off by themselves."
"Next I'll deal with the family of David and those who live in Jerusalem. I'll pour a spirit of grace and prayer over them. They'll then be able to recognize me as the One they so grievously wounded—that piercing spear-thrust! And they'll weep—oh, how they'll weep! Deep mourning as of a parent grieving the loss of the firstborn child. The lamentation in Jerusalem that day will be massive, as famous as the lamentation over Hadad-Rimmon on the fields of Megiddo: Everyone will weep and grieve, the land and everyone in it: The family of David off by itself and their women off by themselves; The family of Nathan off by itself and their women off by themselves; The family of Levi off by itself and their women off by themselves; The family of Shimei off by itself and their women off by themselves; And all the rest of the families off by themselves and their women off by themselves."
Gill's Notes on the Bible
The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding,.... The way of getting understanding, the good ways and word of God; that wanders from the house of God, the assembly of the saints, where the Gospel is preached, and the ordinances are administered; that, instead of attending on them, where he might gain the understanding of divine and spiritual things, wanders about in the fields, gets into bad company, walks with them in their ways, and turns to his own, as a sheep that goes astray: he
shall remain in the congregation of the dead; among those that are spiritually dead, dead in trespasses and sins; such an one he himself is, and such he is like to continue, and not be written among the living in Jerusalem; or among those who die the second and eternal death, among the damned in hell; so Jarchi interprets it of the congregation of hell; and a large congregation that will be, but dreadful to have an abode with them. The words are rendered by the Septuagint, and the versions that follow that, "shall rest in the congregation of the giants"; which some interpret of devils, and others of the giants of the old world b, damned spirits: resting with them does not design peace and quietness, for there will be none there; but a fixed settled abode, in opposition to wandering, in the preceding clause.
b See Mede's Discourse 7. p. 32.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
congregation of the dead - The Rephaim (compare the Proverbs 2:18 note).
Remain - i. e., “He shall find a resting place, but it shall be in Hades.”
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Proverbs 21:16. The man once enlightened, that wandereth out of the way of understanding, in which he had walked, shall remain - have a permanent residence - in the congregation of the dead; רפאים rephaim, the lost; either separate spirits in general, or rather the assembly of separate spirits, which had fallen from primitive rectitude; and shall not be restored to the Divine favour; particularly those sinners who were destroyed by the deluge. This passage intimates that those called rephaim are in a state of conscious existence. It is difficult to assign the true meaning of the word in several places where it occurs: but it seems to mean the state of separate spirits, i.e., of those separated from their bodies, and awaiting the judgment of the great day: but the congregation may also include the fallen angels. My old MS. Bible translates, The man that errith fro the wei of doctrine, in the felowschip of geantis schal wonnen.
